Features & Sacco Leadership

Disadvantages of cooperative societies

Principles of Cooperatives: Disadvantages of Cooperative Societie: How to shape your Co-op's identity: How To Choose The Right Co-op: Challenges facing cooperative societies in Kenya: SACCO governance: The foundation of cooperative success

Cooperative societies are a type of business organization designed to support their members, often formed by individuals from economically weaker sections to protect against exploitation by more affluent groups. While cooperative societies offer several benefits, they also come with their own set of disadvantages.

Disadvantages of Cooperative Societies

  1. Limited Capital Raising Ability
    Cooperative societies often consist of members from lower-income groups. This limitation impacts their ability to raise substantial capital. Unlike larger businesses that can attract investment from various sources, cooperatives typically rely on contributions from their members, which may not be sufficient for large-scale operations or expansion.
  2. Management Inefficiencies
    Management within cooperative societies can be less efficient compared to other business structures. Since decisions are made collectively and often involve extensive consultations among members, this can lead to slower decision-making processes and operational delays. Additionally, the lack of professional management expertise can further contribute to inefficiencies in running the cooperative.

The Cooperatives are also faced with challenges during their operations. One of the pressing challenges faced by cooperatives is the increasing failure of awareness regarding their economic and social impact.

Despite their significant contributions to job creation, poverty alleviation, and community development, many people remain unaware of the vital role cooperatives play in the Kenyan economy.

Additionally, there is a lack of adequate entrepreneurial vision among cooperative members. This deficiency hampers their ability to identify and capitalize on emerging opportunities, thereby limiting the growth prospects of their enterprises.

A significant portion of cooperative members lacks a clear understanding of the principles and values that underpin cooperative societies. This lack of awareness can lead to internal conflicts, mismanagement, and inefficiencies within cooperative organizations.

Further, there is a notable absence of policies and programs focused on promoting gender equality and youth participation in cooperatives. Failure to address this issue jeopardizes the future sustainability of the cooperative movement, as it risks excluding vital demographic groups from active participation.

Another challenge facing cooperatives is their lagging innovation and creativity. In today’s rapidly evolving economic landscape, innovation is key to remaining competitive and relevant. Without a culture of innovation, cooperatives risk stagnation and being left behind in an increasingly dynamic market environment.

The devolved system of government presents a constraint to the cooperative sector. Disagreements between the national government and county governments regarding their respective roles in cooperative governance create uncertainty and hinder effective coordination and implementation of cooperative policies and programs.

Despite these challenges, cooperative societies provide significant advantages. Products sold through cooperatives are often cheaper than market prices because they eliminate middlemen and purchase directly from producers, benefiting both the buyers and the producers. Members also enjoy quick access to loans and benefit from the absence of black marketing.

Understanding both the advantages and disadvantages of cooperative societies helps in evaluating their effectiveness and potential as a business model.

Andrew Walyaula
Author: Andrew Walyaula

Andrew Walyaula is a seasoned multimedia journalist. waliaulaandrew0@gmail.com

Andrew Walyaula

About Author

Andrew Walyaula is a seasoned multimedia journalist. waliaulaandrew0@gmail.com

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